When the angels told the shepherds about the birth of the Christ child, “…they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it WERE AMAZED (thaumazō: astonished, bewildered) at what the shepherds said to them.” (Luke 2:17-18)
The Old testament speaks of Christ’s birth, “…the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, THE VIRGIN SHALL CONCEIVE and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (Isa. 7:14) “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me THE ONE TO BE RULER in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” (Micah 5:2) “Those who dwell in the wilderness will bow before Him, And His enemies will lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles Will bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba Will offer gifts. Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; ALL NATIONS SHALL SERVE HIM. For He will deliver the needy when he cries, The poor also, and him who has no helper.” (Psa. 72:9-12)
Peter Stoner, Chairman of the Departments of Mathematics and Astronomy at Pasadena College, was passionate about biblical prophecies of the over 300 HE FULFILLED. With 600 students from the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Stoner looked at just eight (8) specific prophecies about Jesus. They came up with extremely conservative probabilities for each one being fulfilled, and then considered the likelihood of Jesus fulfilling all eight of those prophecies. The conclusion to his research was staggering. The prospect that anyone would satisfy those eight prophecies was just 1 in 1017. That is 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—but my ears you have opened—burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, “HERE I AM, I HAVE COME—it is written about me in the scroll. I DESIRE TO DO YOUR WILL, MY GOD; your law is within my heart.” (Psa. 40:6–8).
Just one more for this study, “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9). Jesus said to His disciples, “Go into the village, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me…They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.” (Matt 21:2,7,8) This happened the last week on earth for Jesus Christ…
JESUS CHRIST IS THE MESSIAH, GOD THE SON, OUR SAVIOUR…
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham